Straw hat



' M. SALZMAN Dec. 29, 1931.

STRAW HAT Filed DSC. 31, 1950 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1931 MARTIN SALZMAN, `F lBRONX, NEW YORKV STRAW HAT Application med Deetman-,31;k reso. serial no. v505,687.

' My invention relates'to straw hats and the processes for making the same.V

Anobject of my invention is to provide a highly improved and simplified process for manufacturing straw hats ofthe stiff straw type, requiring considerably'less time and labor .than processes now in use, and whereby straw hats made in accordance therewith will neverthelessbe light, water-proof and durable in construction and attractive in appearance. Y f

A further object of this invention is-to provide a straw hat of the character described, which sha-llk be comparatively ineX- pensive to manufacture, light 'and waterproof in construction ,and neat in appearance and yet practical and efhcient to a high degree. Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of vparts which will 2 be exemplified inthe Vconstruction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of'applic'ation will be indicated in Athe following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, `in which is shown oneof thevarious possible illustra'- tive embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a transverse, diagrammaticcrosssectional view of a straw hatmade Vin accordance with myinvention; p Fig. 2 is a top plan View ofmy improved insert disposed between 4the upper portion of the brim and the under bri-m ofthe hat.

Referring now in detail vto theldrawings, 10 designates a straw hat embodying the invention here shown for the purpose of illustration, .asa stifstraw hat made of ordinary fiat footbraidi YThe hat comprisesa woven straw crown .11 and a brim 12. Said brim -is composed ,of an upper portion13 and an under 'brim 14 sewed to each other as by stitching 15 adjacent the youter periphery of the brim. Inter-posed between the upper and lower portions 13 and ltof the brim and sewed thereto by saidlstitching 15 iis .an elliptical Yring shaped insert 16 made of sheet material, slit as at 17 and gummed at both sides thereof, as at '18 and 19, for the .purposel hereinafter described.

Said insert 16 may be made of paper, fab- Y for the purpose hereinafter'set forth. The

straw portions ofthe hat may be covered and saturated with lacquer or the like nitrocellulose substance, as hereinafterdescribed.

VThe process of making the hat 10 will now be described. The ordinary hat foot or the like straw braid which is soft, flexible and shapeless is first sewed together to form the crown and upperV brim of the hat in the manner well known in the art. The insert 16 is then placed against the underside of the up per portion 13 of the brim with slit 17 atthe rear portion of the brim,vand the under brim 11 is then placed against the underside of the insert 16 and said parts 13, 16 and 14 are sewed together, as by stitching 15, jadjacent the outer periphery of the brim. rThe hat is then steamed. Dur-ing this ,steaming process, the gum or adhesive `coatings '18 and 19 cause the insert 16 to adhere to the portions 13 and 14 of the brim. The steaming process will then cause strong attachment of the underbrim tothe upper brim. Said iii-- sert furthermore serves to strengthen 'and give shape to the brim. The hat may then be l'pressed in a hydraulic press witha block, preferably one size smaller than the finished hat. This blocking operation 2in the hyfdraulic vpress is made possible at this stage of the process, because of the use ofthe insert 16 which gives suiciel'nt shape tothefbrim to ypermit the hat to be blocked without first saturating the same with glue or the fli-ke adhesive substance, as has ordinarily -been -the practice heretofore. rllhe elimination of this gluing operation makes for a saving 'of time,

' since ordinarily, the hat would irst be dipped in glueand driedbefore hand blocking, said drying operation usually taking considerable time. l y

In laccordance with my process, the hat, blocked -as above described7 'is lthen dipped furthermore, is water-proof and does not ab-y sorb moisture which would add to the weight of the hat.

The hat is then allowed to dry thoroughly to permit the lacquer to harden, after which the hat is again pressed in the same hydraulicy press las previously used, to render the same stiff. The hat may thereafter be sponged with alcohol and steamed so as to raise up the braid which was flattened during the previous pressing operation. After sponging and steaming, the brim is preferably again pressed. Any weak spots may then be sprayed with lacquer.

Heretofore, in making hats of the general type described, no insert was used and when the portions of the brim `were sewed together, the hat was usually dipped in glue for stifeningthe same and then allowed to dry, the drying process usually taking considerable time. The hat was usually thereafter handblocked to give the same a rough shape and thenalliowed to dry again, said latter drying process taking further considerable time. The glued hatswere thereafter steamed and then blocked in a hydraulic press. In accordancey ywith my invention, the hat is blocked before dipping in the lacquer. After blocking in the hydraulic press, the hat is dipped, allowed to dry and then again pressed in a hydraulic press. Thus the hand blocking operation of the old process is eliminated and the timerequired for making the hat materially reduced. Lacquer has been found not to be sticky, is light and will not absorb water, whereby the finished hat is as a whole much lighter and water-proof. Since the lacquer hardens considerably upon allowing thek sameto dry, only a thin film or coating of lacquer is necessary, whereby the hat may be made lighter than heretofore. Furthermore, since the lacquer on the straw hat does not cause the hat to stick to the block, no powders need be used to prevent sticking of the vhat to the block, and the step of washing ofi powders is also eliminated.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a process and article in which the several objects'of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be' understood that all matter herein set forth, lor shown in the ac f companying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l.. A straw hat having a brim comprising upper and lower superimposed straw ortions incorporated together by a paper sheet member, having adhesive on the opposite sides thereof, and interposed between said brim portions.

2. A straw hat having a brim comprising rupper and lower superimposed straw portions incorporated together by a paper sheet member, having adhesive on the opposite sides thereof, and interposed between said brim portions. y

3. A straw hat having a brim comprising upper and lower superimposed straw portions incorporated together by a sheet member, having adhesive on the opposite sides thereof, and interposed between said brim portions, said brim vh aving a waterproof coatm .l A straw hat having a brim comprising upper and lower superimposed straw portions incorporated together by a sheet member by means of adhesive applied to the opposite sides thereof, said sheet member being interposed Abetween said brim portions.

v 5. Y A process of manufacturing a straw hat l consisting in interposing a sheet member gummed on both sides, between upper and lower portions of the brim, steaming the hat to cause the brim portions to be incorporated together by said interposed member, then blocking said hat andcoatmg said hat 1n a lacquer solution. I

6. A process of manufacturing a straw hat comprising superposing upper and lower straw brim portions and an intervening sheet member having adhesive on both sides thereof, steaming the hat to cause the brim portions to be incorporated together .by said 1ntervening member, and then blockmg the hat.

7. A process of manufacturing a straw hat vcomprising superposing upper and lower straw brim portions and an intervening sheet member having adhesive applied to the opposite sides thereof, causing the brim portions to be incorporated together by said 1nterposed sheet member and adhesive, then blocking said hat and coating sa1d hat 1n a lacquer solution.

8. A process of manufacturing a straw hat comprising superposing upper and lower straw brim portions and an intervening sheet member having adhesive on both sides thereof, steaming the hat to cause the brim portions to be incorporated together by said intervening member, then blocking said hat and coating said hat in a waterproofing solution. y

In testimony whereof I aHix mv signature.

y MARTIN SA'LZMAN. 

